State of the Union Message from Lynn Kinney

DC50 Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer

Last year, we embraced Barack Obama’s message of hope. After what the Bush Administration did to destroy our economy, however, it will take more than Hope alone to put our members to work. It will take a strong union with a strong voice backed up by strong union members.

The clouds hanging over Hawaii’s economy are dark and no single project is going to get all of our guys working as soon as we would like.  There are some bright spots on the horizon, however.  The brightest of all has been the work of our Volunteer Organizing Committee and our Local Jobs for Local People campaign.  Our union activism – TV ads, demonstrations at the State Capitol, and press conferences – is starting to pay off.

• One of our local contractors might be getting the next phase of the Aloha Stadium Project
• Several new Project Labor Agreements and some new State work are in the pipeline.
• The possibilities of getting the Federal Building and the Federal Courthouse are very good.
• We are still leading the fight to win Project Labor Agreements for the rail project, and we are letting every politician know that we aren’t going to settle for less.

Winning all this work would mean that every one of our members will be back to work, although not right away.  We have many more tough months ahead of us.

I start every day by making a list of things I can do to get our members working.  Projects with Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate and with other major developers — including the Disney project — are on my agenda every day.

Tough times like these remind me why it’s important for District Council 50 to be part of a larger labor movement.  In August, we participated in the 30th General Convention of our Union.  Since I attended my first convention in 1979, this was the most inspirational.  Speaking to the convention theme of “Change Makes Us Stronger,” I heard from leaders facing 50 percent unemployment, but whose local members are maintaining 100 percent solidarity.  The worst thing that can happen to us is that we start fighting with one another.  We have to keep our eyes on the prize, and we can win that prize by sticking together!

General President James A. Williams and his staff are giving us the tools to move forward into the future.

In the coming months, your District Council and your Local Unions will be drafting new bylaws to maintain our solidarity with our entire International Union.  I urge every member to attend their local union meetings to keep up-to-date with the changes that will be occurring.

“Change Makes Us Stronger.  In order for us to survive, at a decent wage, we must stand together as a District Council to ensure that everything we do is about caring for each other.

A final word of caution — the work that’s on the horizon hasn’t started yet.  When the economy does start coming back, it will be a slow recovery.  Until that time, be cautious with your finances.  Please feel free to call your local union or myself with any concerns you may have.

Thank you and Mahalo.